Social Class and War Protests

John Cole · #1 03-31-2003, 06:40 AM

The following is adapted from James Loewen. In 1971, A Gallup poll asked if America should withdraw its troops from Vietnam. Overwhelmingly, 70% of Americans agreed with withdrawal. Breaking this down by educational status, what percentage of college grads, high school grads, and grade school grads voted for withdrawal? Total must equal 70%. Explain your answer.

John

scalf · #2 03-31-2003, 08:19 AM

[img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] 1971 scalf frosh at college...

90% of college grads x 25% of pop = hell no, i won't go..

60 % of h.s. grads x 50% = i needa job..uncle art says go fight

30% of g.s. grads x 25% = i do what gov says, lucky to have any job...

1,2,3 what are we fighting for;

don't ask me, i don't give a dam
my next stop is viet nam...yoo.hoo...gl [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

Cyrus · #3 03-31-2003, 08:25 AM

scalf · #4 03-31-2003, 08:29 AM

[img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img] what do you think the correlation between houshold income, perceived social standing , and educational status??

get a grip...be honest...gl [img]/forums/images/icons/cool.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/diamond.gif[/img]

John Cole · #5 03-31-2003, 09:12 AM

Cyrus,

Loewen addresses this under his remarks on class, but, yes, high degree of correlation. Interesting study of Harvard grads, though: middle class to lower middle class + lower than average (for Harvard) SAT scores = higher than average, for Harvard grads, degree of success, broadly defined, and satisfaction.

Now, answer the question.

adios · #6 03-31-2003, 10:27 AM

I don't know what they are but I can tell you what SHOULD have been the case as far as who favored withdrawl more than the others basing the decision on rational self interest. The ones with grade school educations should have been the group with the highest percentage of those who favored withdrawl. The high school grads should have been next i.e. they had a higher percentage than college grads, but a lower percentage than grade school grads if you will. College grads should have favored withdrawl the least of any group. I base my answer on susceptibility to the draft. In 1971 the lottery had been in place for a couple of years. There was a loophole in the laws relating to conscription where you could give up your student deferrment at the end of the year and have it be retroactive from the beginning of the year. By December it became obvious how high the numbers would go. If you had a low lottery number you could attend a university and maintain a student deferrment. Of course "grade school grads" didn't have this option and "high school grads" less so.

John Cole · #7 03-31-2003, 11:05 AM

Tom,

You've got the numbers right, but the explanation wrong. Think about what education does to/for people.

John

Jimbo · #8 03-31-2003, 12:12 PM

"Think about what education does to/for people."

Without a strong will to resist it brainwashes you into becoming a liberal? [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

IrishHand · #9 03-31-2003, 02:48 PM

Yeah...it is indeed interesting that the more you actually learn about the world, the more liberal you become. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

andyfox · #10 03-31-2003, 02:57 PM

Just the opposite. More education, more conservative. More susceptible to accepting the bull of the ruling class since you become one of them. More into the prevailing mantra of making the world safe for democracy or whatever other political mumbo jumbo is carrying the day.